Carrying first shot as a blank

Status
Not open for further replies.
There is a reason that police officers practice draw and shoot, re-holster; draw and shoot, re-holster. Because its that first shot that counts the most. That would preclude loading a blank as your first shot.
 
The person carrying a blank is concerned about the risk of injury due to an accidental or negligent discharge.
Click to expand...

The correct response to this concern is not a blank, it is NOT POINTING A LOADED GUN AT SOMEONE YOU ARE NOT CONVINCED NEEDS TO BE SHOT!

And there is also the other side of the coin, what is going to happen when what he expects to be a blank is actually a live round?? (and despite everything he does, one CANNOT rule out that possibility)

Your gun shop guy, and the rest of us would be safer if he had an EMPTY chamber rather than a blank.

and, maybe, not watch so much TV...;)
 
I picked up a lot of 5.56 and 7.62 NATO blanks when I used to hunt on a military base, and those WILL cycle in a semi-auto rifle, but it does not make them a good idea in real battle.
 
I picked up a lot of 5.56 and 7.62 NATO blanks when I used to hunt on a military base, and those WILL cycle in a semi-auto rifle, but it does not make them a good idea in real battle.
Click to expand...

Not without a bore restrictor they won't - which will make the rifle useless for real ammo. For that matter, function was pretty iffy even with a BFA.
 
Bartholomew Roberts said:
I picked up a lot of 5.56 and 7.62 NATO blanks when I used to hunt on a military base, and those WILL cycle in a semi-auto rifle, but it does not make them a good idea in real battle.
Click to expand...

Not without a bore restrictor they won't - which will make the rifle useless for real ammo....
Click to expand...

In fact a BFA makes the rifle dangerous to use with real ammunition as outlined in this article.
 
Yeah, with a BFA (blank firing adaptor) attached, our M16s weren't very reliable with blanks. Some people put cigarette butts under the part of the BFA that plugs the barrel to get a better gas seal, and that kind of worked. As for our M240s, they hardly worked at all with blanks even with a BFA. And of course neither worked with blanks at all without the BFA.

I think it's safe to say that there are no semi-auto (or full-auto) firearms that work with blanks without modifications; modifications that render it unable to fire regular ammo. The only type of firearm I can think of that would work is an electric minigun.
 
Last edited:
I'm not a lawyer or expert.Just another opinion.
IMO,a blank first round presents a conflict.
When is it appropriate to use deadly force?
When I see the bad guy has the means and intent to cause me great harm,right now.

If those conditions have been met,why would I present a blank? I'm not talking about the gun shop guys train of thought,I'm talking about the prosecutor asking the question.
Forgive me,I've never been in court over more than a traffic ticket. I have learned from TFL to think in terms of the prosecutor if I am going to carry a weapon.
I would not count on help from " In case my first round was unintentional..."

I would expect the prosecutor would view the blank similar to a warning shot.
If you are shooting a warning shot,you are shooting to gain control,not to stop a killer.
The cute ideas are bad ideas because they lead to introducing a firearm without quite seriously accepting what it means.

And how does a first round blank fit the four rules of safety?
1) The gun is loaded,not "sort of loaded"
2) I don't point it till I intend to destroy the target.The blank says "I do not intend to hurt the target,but I will point a gun at it, its OK,because its not really loaded,the first round is a blank???
No.
Its an entirely wrong mindset for carrying a SD weapon.
 
Last edited:
Shooting a gun, even with a blank, is considered using deadly force.
If your foolish first shot with a blank worked, you could be charged.
This is only one of many reasons this is a bad, no-STUPID idea.
 
I suggest that your friend gets some proper training and reviews use of force laws for the state in which he lives.
 
Just saw this. One a blank will only work properly in a revolver and will not cycle a semi-auto. Two while it would be a great way to avoid being responsible for one shot fired (since we are responsible for every bullet we release) it also opens up a can of worms. He just gave the bad guy an out for killing him. The bad guy can claim that he shot in self defense because this guy shot at him. Three if there is police in the area he may be in some very big trouble. If he is legal to fire that shot he is legal to put the bad guy down not scare him. And in keeping with that if I had been there in the conversation I would have told him firing a blank at me would only serve to put him in the hospital or worse. This guy is a suicidal nut. He can fire that blank if he wants but it may be the only shot he gets.
 
As for our M240s, they hardly worked at all with blanks even with a BFA.
Click to expand...

I remember seeing the GPMG guy having trouble with his BFA. He charged a tree and smashed his muzzle into it like he was on the bayonet course. Blanks were GTG after that. Also an excellent example of the difference between personally owned weapons and government weapons.
 
So, he's got a blank in a real gun. So, he's got a less than lethal device and a lethal device with ONE trigger. Wow, just wow. A prosecutor's field day in court if things go south for this guy.
 
So, he's got a less than lethal device and a lethal device with ONE trigger. Wow, just wow. A prosecutor's field day in court if things go south for this guy.
Click to expand...

No. He has a less lethal device and lethal device with one trigger. There are folks that load up rubber bullets in their shotguns as first rounds as well. It is just as stupid from a tactical sense.

I don't think making the gun less lethal by using blanks is going to be that much more of a problem unless the charge is for endangerment. If it is a situation where lethal for is valid to be used, I don't know that it will be an issue at all. If there are charges, the prosecutor will use everything. Heaven forbid a person like Paul Fish use hollowpoints and a caliber a bit more powerful than what a lot (not all, but a lot) of cops use.

I think worries about possible prosecution will be at the bottom of this guy's concern list. Why he didn't have time or opportunity to get off his 2nd and lethal shot or why his gun didn't cycle properly are likely going to be much more significant.
 
This thread ruined my business plan for pepper spray. The first squirt perfume, the rest pepper dream is dead. But I'm not giving up on my dull knife concept.
 
I would not carry a blank, but I have long had a thought that sort of ties in to this discussion. Does getting off the first shot in a short-range gun fight make a significant difference even if the first shot misses, because my first shot would probably cause the other guy to flinch, giving me an advantage for my second shot? If my first shot was a blank, I could get it off faster (don't really need to aim) and recover faster for my second shot (no significant recoil). A well aimed second shot happens faster in this scenario, and the other guy hasn't recovered yet from flinching after my quick first shot. By the way, I would do this with a revolver.

Just speculating....
 
cjwils said:
Does getting off the first shot in a short-range gun fight make a significant difference even if the first shot misses, because my first shot would probably cause the other guy to flinch, giving me an advantage for my second shot?
Click to expand...
You know what would give you an even bigger advantage? Being accurate with your first shot...
 
This has become ridiculous.

The reasons have been laid out. No more speculation on whether the noise of the blank will bring Superman over to help you as he hears it with superhearing.

Tactical discussions have to be within a range of competency and we can disagree within them.

But we are out of that.

Closed.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top